RxBandit66 wrote:He does need to have a good playoff run this year, because his stats from 2010 to present* (excluding that insane stretch he had during last regular season) are not those of a $9 million franchise player.

*i.e. that less than 1 season worth of stats over 3 years because of injury and your made up exclusion.

Even taking the worst case sample you can find (and molding it to make him look as bad as possible):Here are his stats - 72 games, 67 points (0.93pt/gm)

Here is someones career stats that just made a $7.5M hit LAST YEAR and we were willing to pay him close to the same - 548 games, 447 points (0.8pt/gm), which ironically is right at his pace for the time frame from 2010 to present (including any insane stretch that he had during the regular season) - 141 games, 112 points (0.79pt/gm).

BleuLineLady wrote:Maybe this is anecdotal but here are the numbers on the Pens with and without Malkin this year.

This season the Penguins without Malkin are:

15-2

With Malkin this season they are:

20-9

9 of the Penguins 11 loses were when Malkin was playing. Of the 20 wins with Malkin-the 3 shootout wins they accrued this season were within that 20 as well. Both winning streaks ended on his first night back from layoffs (granted by the same team). You read into those numbers however you want. He has good numbers, a point per game-no one is questioning his skill, but it does make you wonder how far does his offensive contributions outweigh his weakness in other parts of his game. I still think he is great, but he hasnt been playing like he used to a few years ago during the cup run. He plays alot more east-west. Unlike Crosby who rarely loses a battle in the corners, Malkin isnt as good along the boards this past year and often times he tries to make the difficult pass/play instead of keeping it simple. He gets frustrated easily and takes penalties. He used not to be like this. I feel like his skill is so high, that it may be carrying him a bit this year despite perhaps having developed some bad habits. Maybe I'm being hard on Geno and maybe he will step it up a notch in the playoffs, but I have to be honest I'm a little concerned. He's the only guy on the team I honestly feel like who's style is less compatible and harder to play with compared to everybody else who for the most part have proven to be interchangeable parts and can play with whoever they get slotted with.

I don't think there is anything wrong with what you wrote. I mean, stats don't lie. Probably more of a coincidence than anything, but I do share your concern that at times he doesn't play as well as he could. To me, it almost looks like he tries to do too much, a one man army, and doesn't do enough thinking on the ice. I see him too often do what Ovechkin is sometimes guilty of, which is trying to beat 3 players by himself. It's in his head and it's up to Bylsma to get him straight... either that or create a proper concept for his line.

Here is a list of players from it that have put up better numbers in their career than Malkin has during the worst case years (2010 and 2013 season only):Malkin, Stamkos, Crosby, Ovie, Heatley

That's 4 other players that have put up better numbers in their career than Malkin did in his worst period. One of those put up much worse stats than Malkin over the same time span (Heatley). Two of them put up worse stats over that time span than Malkin has over his career (Ovie, Stamkos). And the other is on this darn team.Wooooooooo.